Clamp and brace for stage wings



G. J. HANLON.

CLAMP AND BHACE. FOR STAGE WINGS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 18, 1921- V v I v Patented June 13, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Q I Grok m By v WITNESSES nromvsrs e. I. HANLON.

CLAMP AND BRACE FOR STAGE WINGS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 18, I92I.-

1,419,848. Patented June 13, 1922.

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GEORGE J. HANLON, OF LONG'ISLAND CITY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO I JOHN A. MURRAY, OF FLUSI-IING, NEW YORK.

CLAMP AND BRAOE FOR STAGE WINGS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORG J. HANLON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Long Island City,- borough of Queens, county of Queens, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Clamp and Brace for Stage Win'gs, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to stage settings or scenery and has particular reference to a clamp and brace for stage wings Heretofore it has been the practice to secure the wings together and to the floor by toe-nailing and to brace the same by nailing the braces to the wing frames and to the floor. It is obvious that such a practice not only requires a longer time to set up the wings but minimizes the length of service thereof due to theconstant wear to which the frames are subjected by the nailing operation.

The invention contemplates and seeks for one of its principal objects to obviate the above recited objections by providing a clamp and brace which greatly facilitates the erection of wings without resorting to the use of nails.

A further object resides in the provision of Imeans for assembling the wings which means operates to retain the faces of the same flush and in correct alignment. 4

A still further obj ectin view is to provide a combination clamp and brace for stage wings which is capable of folding when not inuse whereby the same can be stored in a minimum amount of space.

A still further object in view is to provide a combination clamp and brace which is extremely simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and which is thoroughly reliable and highly efficient in its purpose. j

With the above recited and other objects in view, the invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts set forth in the following specification,pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which; Y

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a setting illustrating the wings thereof secured together and braced by the combination clamps and braces constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary rear Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 13, 1922.

Application filed. March is, 1921. Serial No. 453,2 0!

view illustrat-inga single brace and clamp in its applied position.

Figure 3 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken approximately on the line 3. 3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation illustrating the application of the brace and clamp.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation illustrating the supplemental brace connection between the main braces and the wings.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, WV designates the wings commonly employed in motion picture studios, each of which comprises a wooden frame 10, the front face of which is covered by beaver board 11'. The wings as illustrated are made in various height-s and have heretofore been assembled by toe nailing theframes together and nailing the same to the 11001". The braces under the general practice have been nailed to the frames and toe nailed to the floor. To utilize the improved form of the clamp and brace in lieu of the usual nailing operation, the side rails of the frames are provided with spaced apertures 12,

The clamp and brace constituting the invention consist of clamping pins 13 having one extremity pointed as at 14 and provided adjacent the opposite extremity with a rectangular head 15 from which said extremity projects to constitute a trunnion 16. The head 15 may be constructed as a separate element secured to the pin or may be formed integral therewith as desired. The pin is provided adjacent the tapered or pointed extremity 14 thereof'with a longitudinal slot 17 the outer end wall 18 of which is of arcuate formation. Preferably apertured wear plates 19 are secured over'the apertures 12 with the openings therein in alignment therewith. A Wedge QO having an inclined outer edge 21 is 7 designed to be driven through the, slot 17 after the pin 13 has been passed through the adjacent side rails of the wings. The inclined outer edge 21 ofthe wedge will engage 'andcdact with the arcuate-end wall of the slot whereby contact 'withvthefaxialcentral pointof the pin will produce an even axial strain when the wedge is inserted. to draw the wings together;

The main bracemembers 22 are constructed in various lengths and each of said brace members'is aperturedat its upper end as at 23 to receive the trunnion 16 of the pin. The trunnion is apertured for the reception of a cotter pin 24: whereby the main braces are pivotally attached to the wings. ,The

braces are preferably constructed from antherethrough to secure the same in place.'

Supplemental brace bars 26 are employed for the purpose of connecting the main braces with the wings between their point of connection with the wings and the floor. As illustrated in Figure 5 of the drawings, the supplemental brace bars 26 are longitudinally slotted as at 27 to receive a rivet 28 passed through said slot and one of the flanges of the main braces 22. The outer extremity of the slot is offset as at 29 to coact with the rivet when the supplemental brace bars are arranged in operative position whereby to prevent relative movement therebetween. The opposite end of each of the supplemental brace bars is apertured as at and adapted to receive one of the trunnions after which a cotter pin 24 is passed through the apertured end of the trunnion to retain said brace bar thereon. As heretofore stated the wings are of various heights rangingfrom 10 to 18 feet. The difference in height of each wing is approximately two feet and the apertures 12 are preferably arranged one foot from either end of the wings with the intervening apertures spaced two feet apart. By this arrangement, in building up a setting the apertures 12 will be approximately two feet apart whereby the wings may be universally assembled.

From this arrangement it is obvious that the wings may be assembled, set up and braced without the use of nails except those which are employed to secure the feet 25 to the floor. When so set up the setting will be rigid and secure, will require less time to take down and due to thefact that the use of nails is not resorted to, the wings will last indefinitely. When it is desired to remove and store the braces 22, it is only necessary to remove the cotter pins 24 and the nails which secure the feet 25 to the floor. The supplemental brace bars are shifted to disengage the offset 29 from the rivet 28 and are swung parallel to the main parts where they are shifted longitudinally to lie within the confines of the same. If desired chains or other flexible fastening means may-be employed to secure the wedges 20 and bolts 13 to the wing frames adjacent each aperture. I i I r i 1 While there has been illustrated and described a single and preferred embodiment of the invention, no limitation is necessarily made to the precise structural details, as it be brought into registration when the wings are contiguously arranged, retaining devices insertable through said registered apertured portions having elements at the opposite ends thereof engageable with the wings for retaining the same against relative separation, and means adaptedto be associated with the retaining devices and the Stage or. support for the wings for bracing and supporting the same.

2. The combination with stage wings including frames and panels supported thereby, of means for detachably associating said wings with each other comprising apertured portions in the side rails of the frames adapted to be brought into registration when the wings are contiguously arranged, and clamping devices adapted to be passed through'said registered apertured portions including ashank having means at the opposite ends for engagement with the outer sides of the side rails of the frames.

3. In a means for detachably associating the wings of stage settings, spaced apertured portions in saidwings adapted to be brought into registration when the wings are co-ntiguously arranged, retaining devices comprising pins each having a head and slot respectively adjacent the opposite extremities thereof and wedges insertable through said slots for co-acting' engagement with the wings to retain the same against relative separation after the pins have been passed through apertured portions.

4.. In a means for detachably associating the wings of stage settings, spaced apertured portions in said wings adapted to be brought into registration'when the wings are contiguously arranged, retaining devices comprising pins each havinga head and slot respectively adjacent the opposite extremities thereof, wedges insertable through said slots for co -acting engagement with the wings to retain the same against relative separation after the pins have been passed through apertured portions, in combination with brace members adapted to be associated with said pins and disposed atan angle with respect to said wings for supporting and bracinf the same. o

'5. vhfeans for detachably associating the wings of stage settings and supportingand bracing the same, comprising spaced apertu-red portions in said wings adaptedto be brought into register when the wings are contiguously arranged, retaining pins insertable through'said registered apertured portions having fixed heads adjacent one extremity and means adapted to co-act with the opposite extremity and the wing for clamping and retaining the wings against relative separation, the opposite extremity of said pin constituting a trunnion, and apertured brace bars detachably associated for pivotal movement with said trunnions, the opposite ends of said brace bars being designed to be fastened to the floor.

6. Means for detachably associating the wings for stage settings and supporting the same comprising in combination with wings having spaced apertures in the side rails of the frames thereof, retaining pins insertable through said apertures when registered, said pins having heads at one end and means adapted to co-act with the opposite end and the frame rail for clamping and retaining adjacent wings together, a trunnion projecting outwardly from the headed end of each pin, a brace having an apertured upper end adapted to engage over said trunnion, means for retaining said apertured brace end thereon and means pivoted to said brace and adapted to co-act with the trunnion of one of the retaining pins for maintaining the brace at an angle to the setting.

7. The combination with stage wings having spaced apertures in the side rails of the frames thereof, of means for detachably associating the wings when contiguously arranged with the apertures in register and for supporting and bracing the same, comprising headed pins insertable through said registered apertures, means adapted to co-act with the pins and the wings for retaining the latter against relative separation, and braces detachably and pivotally carried by said bolts.

8. The combination with stage wings having spaced apertures in the side rails of the frames thereof, of means for detachably associating the wings when contiguously arranged with the apertures in register and for supporting and bracing the same, comprising headed pins insertable through said registered apertures, means adapted to coact with the pins and the wings for retaining the latter against relative separation, braces detachably and pivotally carried by said bolts, and means carried by the braces and adapted to co-act with one of the retaining pins for maintaining the braces at an angle to the wings.

GEORGE J. HANLON. 

